New month;new weather. As we moved to Jacob Lake, Arizona we encountered cooler weather. During our three days at Kaibab Camper Village RV Park we didn’t use the A/C at all. Pleasant days and cool nights. We had tried for reservations at the campground in Grand Canyon, but, not surprisingly, it was full for this holiday time. We had a 40-mile drive to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and enjoyed the views along the way. 

     We visited the Park three different days, walking, viewing, and even trail riding. Yes, we took a mule ride. It would probably be called the “sissy ride”, just one hour through the pine forest with only a short view of the rim; but something different to do. Of course, those saddles were not comfortable and we felt the effects for a couple of days. Highlights for us were the walk to Bright Angel View, the Cape Royal Drive where we ate a picnic lunch at a gorgeous overlook, and the drive up to Imperial Point, at more than 8,000 feet. North Rim seems to have more of a variety of views of the canyons than the South Rim. In any case, the Grand Canyon is surely the grandest of all!

July 4, 2010 - July 7, 2010

     Oh my goodness, we aren’t in Kansas anymore! Highways 389 and 59 are good two-lane roads with many ascents and descents, mostly between 3000 and 7000 feet. The views are so awesome, we had to work hard to keep our eyes on the road. We stopped to see Pipe Spring National Monument where we had a good lesson on the period of time when this desert oasis was coveted by the Paiute Indians, the Mormon settlers, and the Federal Government. Fascinating.

     Leeds RV Park in Leeds, Utah is a nice place with very friendly managers, big sites, good wi-fi and cable, and a satisfactory laundry room. It is also located near a Jenny Craig so we could go in to keep track of our progress (or lack of). All the important things. The main reason we chose Leeds was because it’s convenient to both Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

     Zion’s highlights include the winding Virgin River at the base of towering sandstone and limestone cliffs. We rode the convenient Park Shuttle to the end of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, then, on the way back we got on and off at the various sights. The most exciting stop was near the Great White Throne/Angels Landing view where Ranger Caitlin was pointing out two California Condors showing off high above us. These birds came very close to extinction until about 30 years ago. Now, they are seen only in California and this part of Utah…Grand Canyon and Zion. Their nine-foot wingspan causes them to float effortlessly on the updrafts and we were truly awed by the opportunity to see them.

     The drive from the east entrance, through the mile-long tunnel, with six or seven serious, steep switchbacks was best done in the car, and not towing fifth-wheel.

     Bryce Canyon is so totally different from the other National Parks. Instead of sheer cliffs, you have zillions of individual (looking) Hoodoos. Some skinny, some tall, some short, some fat, most red, some white…all fascinating. We rode the shuttle to Bryce Point and then stopped on the way back to see some of the neat views, and the lodge. On the next trip we’d really like to hike some of the trails down among the formations.

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     June 1 was moving day at CARE. (Also, Ed’s birthday.) Six of us were leaving, five more were coming in. Those of us leaving were all headed in different directions. We are going west, before we go north, so our first challenge was to drive around Houston. Our choice was to loop around the north side. Then, we went only as far as Gonzales, Texas. We had thought about spending the night in a Wal-Mart parking lot, but it took only a few minutes and a look around to decide that this was one hot place. With no shade, no awning, no electricity it would not be fun. So, we drove a couple of miles down the road to Lake Wood Recreation Area where we found shade trees and the Guadalupe River. A much better choice.

     June 2 we drove to Junction, Texas and South Llano River State Park.  We had seen this park on a previous trip and knew it would be a nice place to stay. On the way, we did stop in Kerrville, Texas to tour the Museum of Western Art. At the park it was pleasant to relax, walk some trails to the neat bird blinds, and visit the town library to check emails. That’s where we saw the flyer about a Western Night. It sounded good, so we went. It was a casual affair held outdoors under the live oaks next to the library. The ladies served cornbread and pinto beans. Then, we were treated to an hour of western poetry by cowboy Pete Davis, and western music by cowboy R.C. Lackey. These local men are really talented and their music and poetry told us a lot about Texas and cowboys. The event was totally free, and the locals made us feel so very welcome; we’ll visit Juncion again.

     June 4 took us only 80 miles to Sonora, Texas because we had read in Texas Highways magazine about the Sonora Caverns. A fairly small attraction, but they offer RV parking and cave tours so it was fun. The weather was again in the low 90’s and we were having some kind of trouble with our fifth-wheel’s electricity so we were happy that we had purchased a small fan that runs on batteries, and we used our generator briefly.

     June 5 we traveled on through the west Texas heat  to Van Horn, Texas and the Van Horn KOA. Trust us, folks, there is not much to stop for along I-10 in west Texas. We have learned to enjoy the desert’s beauty, but when driving on an interstate it’s hard to appreciate it. Ed had called ahead to find someone who might come out to look at our electrical problem and he checked with the man again when we arrived at the KOA at noon. He said he was having lunch but would come after that.

     Carol did laundry, Ed drew and painted cactus pictures, and we waited. Our repairman arrived at about 6:00 p.m. (long lunch? lunch and siesta?). It took him less than five minutes to show us something about an inverter button that needed to be pushed and we were powered up again. The cheerful Mexican shook his head and went away sighing, “Ayyii, Gringo, Gringo”

     June 6 and we arrived at the first National Park on this summer’s tour. We had never even heard of Guadalupe Mountains National Park until a few months ago. The RV camping is nothing more than a big parking lot (with restrooms if you need them, which we don’t because we carry our own fresh water and black water tanks.) but at $4 a night it’s OK. This park has a nice Visitor Center, several historic areas, and miles and miles (80 miles) of hiking trails. During our two days, we took advantage of the Visitor Center and their slide show; hiked around an old ranch site, stopped at the site of a Butterfield Overland Mail Stage Coach Station, and hiked a couple of miles of nature trails. We did NOT hike to the top of Guadalupe Peak (the highest point in Texas at 8,749 feet) or to the top of El Capitan (a mere 8,085 feet); but we took lots of pictures. The Rangers and Volunteers at GMNP are knowledgable and friendly, especially Ted with whom we chatted quite a bit.

     June 8 we left GMNP and landed in Lakewood, New Mexico. We chose The Ranch as our base camp here because it is an Escapees Co-op Park, and since we are Escapees members, we “belong.” In fact, in the Escapees way, as soon as we pulled up to the office, before we were out of the vehicles, someone rang the big bell, and several folks came out of their rigs to give us welcome hugs.

     National Park number two was Carlsbad Caverns National Park. In 1898 a teenaged cowboy named Jim White discovered and publicized these caverns. There are signs that people have been around the opening for thousands of years, but not until Jim did anyone truly explore. Now, there are several options for the adventurous, and the curious, to see the wondrous underground sights. We took two 90-minute self-guided walks through the caverns. Gigantic rooms, “decorations” of stalactites and stalagmites, and all sorts of imaginative creations kept us in awe. It’s really hard to take good photos, but we will carry the memories with us always.

     The other exciting feature of the Caverns is the nightly Bat Flight. We sat and watched the Natural Opening…the same opening into which we walked during the day…as a Ranger gave fascinating facts about Mexican Freetail Bats (also called Brazilian Bats). Then, at about 8:15, right on schedule, the bats began flying out into the open. They make a counter-clockwise spiral before taking off for a 30 mile flight to the river to feast all night on mosquitoes and other insects. 200,000 of them! For 30 minutes they kept coming and coming! 200,000 of them! No, folks, it was not the least bit creepy. Maybe because the Ranger did such a good job of promoting bats’ good points, maybe because of the wide open spaces, but there was no fear. That same evening, astronomers came to the park with powerful telescopes to help us find planets and stars to view. So. God’s universe, down below and up above! Wow!

     Of course, we have looked for all the other sights in the area. In the city of Carlsbad we took a boat cruise on the Pecos River. Along the banks of the river are many gorgeous southwestern homes worthy of entry in Architectural Digest. Even one designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. We ate a nice lunch at the Blue House Restaurant and Bakery.  In the city of Artesia we admired huge sculptures depicting western history, and history about Artesia’s oil heritage. We also made some discoveries about Carol’s family history. An ancestor lived in Artesia from 1916 until about 1945. He was a prominent banker, and an investor in the oil industry. (Apparently, Uncle Beecher Rowan forgot to put Carol in his will.) We attended the United Methodist Church there, too. Roswell has a fascinating museum, the UFO Museum. This is the place where, in 1947, some very strange things occured. Did a UFO land in a field? Was it a military experiment? Was there a government coverup? After viewing the exhibit, we came away with more questions than answers. Hmmmmmm. In the small town of Lincoln we learned of the Lincoln County Wars in about 1867. There were gun battles over business disagreements. Even Billy the Kid was involved. We walked up the stairs where he was being taken to jail when he shot two guards and escaped. Dangerous stuff!

     It’s been a good week, Carol, being a native New Mexican, is proud of her state. We will leave here and head toward Arizona.

June 15, 2010 - June 23, 2010

    June 15 we took a suggestion from other Escapees, and by-passed El Paso on the way to Deming, New Mexico. It was an easy drive, with just a couple of construction stops as we drove through salt flats. We’ve stayed at Dream Catcher SKP Park at least two other times. It’s a convenient overnight park.

     June 16, a short drive up I-10 to Saguaro SKP Park in Benson, Arizona. This is a nice co-op park, where Escapees can lease a lot for a more permanent stay. We used it as a base for our week-long tour of the Tucson area. First on the agenda was Saguaro National Park. There are two separate sections of this park…the East, and the West. The Western Visitor Center and the Bajada Loop show off the most saguaro cacti. Hundreds and hundreds of them standing 30 to 50 feet tall on the high desert mountainsides. They don’t even begin to grow their “arms” until they are 75 years old, so these guys are really old. There’s also a short walk to see ancient petroglyphs. The Eastern side and the Cactus Forest Drive let you see many saguaro, as well as dozens of other species.

     Near the Western Visitor Center is the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, one of our all-time favorite places. Two miles of walking paths through typical Sonoran Desert habitat, with over 300 species of animals and birds, it is a fascinating zoo/garden/desert/museum. We especially like the hummingbird house.

     In Tucson, we checked out several art galleries, and the Mission San Xavier Del Bac, which is located on an Indian Reservation.

     Another day trip was an excurstion to Tombstone. That town was not new to us, but always yields a few photographs. Nearby Bisbee, once a mining town and now a haven for artists was interesting. We had a good lunch at the High Desert Market and Cafe.

     Benson, itself is a nice little town with a museum, a Curves, and a friendly United Methodist Church.

     June 23 we drove to our old stomping grounds, Apache Junction, Arizona and checked in to the KOA. It was nice to find familiar roads, and restaurants. We chose to eat at our two favorite Mexican spots, Los Gringos Locos, and Tres Banderas. Carol went to Curves, and Ed went out to paint in the desert. We did a bit of geocaching, but the temperature reached 112 degrees so we didn’t stay out long.

     June 25. We drove north to Cottonwood, Arizona to revisit Dead Horse Ranch State Park for a few days. While we were there Ed fished every day in their lagoons, and brought home a nice bass one evening to have for dinner. We drove out to see Tuzigoot National Monument, and Montezuma’s Castle National Monument. Both of these are prehistoric Indian dwellings, fun to explore. Of course, we didn’t miss the opportunity to spend time in Sedona, Red Rock Country. We took a trolley tour through town and out into the canyons for some gorgeous views. We spent one day at Jerome, Arizona. This former copper mining town is perched high, high on the side of a mountain. It’s an experience just to drive up there! Now, there are lots of artist’s galleries, shops, and restaurants. On our last day, Carol had a dentistry issue, a broken tooth and crown. We found a helpful dentist, Dr. Bruce Westover, who managed to fit her in, take care of her, and arrange for a dentist in Salt Lake City to finish the job in two weeks. God does take care of fools.

     June 30 found us on U.S. 89 toward Tuba City, Arizona. This was a one night stopover at the Quality Inn Hotel and RV Park. The town is actually on a Navajo Indian Reservation…not much to look at…not much to do…but, a place to stay for the night. And so ends the month of June. 

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Western Night in Junction, TX

Inside the Big Room

GMNP

Fishin' On The Pecos

El Capitan GMNP

Ed Enters The Cavern

Carol the Spelunker

A Friend From ????

Billy The Kid Was Here

Waitin' For The Stage

San-Xavier Mission

Mountain Man

Great-Grandfather

Dream Catcher RV Park

Desert Beauty

Ancient Gang Graffiti?

Ed Paints Montzuma's Castle

     The Escapees Park in Livingston, Texas, called Rainbow’s End, is our official home. It is where our mail service is located, and the place where we have registered our vehicles. This is our third visit in seven years, but this time it’s a very special visit.

      Escapees C.A.R.E. Center is located here. CARE is sort of an Independent Living Facility for people with RV’s, and we are volunteering for the month. The 30 residents here are mostly in their eighties and nineties, and most have some kind of issue that means they cannot travel right now. They might be recovering from a surgery and need to stay temporarily, or they might be blind and plan to stay for years. The only requirement is that a person must be able to care for his/her own needs overnight, or have a caregiver living with them. They are served three meals a day in the dining hall, along with many other amenities. (see: escapeescare.org for information). Our duties this month include helping with meals, washing some dishes, driving residents to appointments, and occasionally having a phone to be “on call” in case of emergencies during the night. It is turning out to be a very rewarding experience. The folks are a fascinating bunch!

     Of course, we take advantage of every free moment to explore the countryside. East Texas is green, with rolling hills, farms (ranches?), and lots of cattle. Big Thicket National Preserve is one ot the country’s biggest and most diverse wilderness areas. We saw a tiny part of it when we walked one of the nature trails. In nearby Woodville, The Pickett House served up an excellent fried chicken dinner, with cornbread, and peach cobbler. The restaurant is in an old schoolhouse, and it’s served boarding house style.

     In Hunsville, we learned about Sam Houston; president of the Texas Republic, senator when Texas became a state, and governor of the state. We went to one of his homes, and to the cemetery where he, along with other Texas notables, is buried. We ate lunch at The Farmhouse Cafe, where the chicken-fried steak is a delicious specialty.

     A drive to Brenham took us to the Blue Bell Ice Cream Creamery. It was fun to take the tour, and, naturally enjoy the free sample. Their Blackberry Cobbler ice cream not only has blackberries, but the cobbler pieces, as well! We also visited Washington-On-The-Brazos the place where the Texas Declaration of Independence was signed. Not too far away we walked around the Monastery Miniature Horse Farm. The cloistered Franciscan Poor Clare Nuns raise these tiny horses for income. There were several very young ones racing around and chasing each other in the sunshine, while mares and stallions stood quietly under shade trees.

     Close to home, Lake Livingston covers many acres and provided some friendly coves for Ed’s little Port-A-Bote. He found fish there, too! Livingston has its share of restaurants and we’ve tried many of them. Catfish King, Shrimp Boat Manny’s, La Casita, and Shuky Deezs Ice Cream are just a few. May has been a busy month with lots of new experiences. In June we will begin our quest for National Parks by driving west through Texas and in to New Mexico. Come back.

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     With final hugs from the few “Tea Timers” left at Alamo Palms, we were on our way northeast to the Texas Gulf Coast. The morning passed quickly, and soon we were eating lunch at Joe Cotten’s Barbecue in Robstown, Texas. At this unique restaurant the formally dressed waiters bring your order on a large piece of waxed paper. The meat is tender, and the sauce is their own homemade recipe. Oh, and there are no menus! If you are a new diner the waiter will recite the four or five choices of meat and the side dishes. M-m-m-m those beans are wonderful!

     Through Corpus Christi and on to the ferry for the short, free, ride across the Aransas Bay to Port Aransas on Mustang Island. Carol and Ed, in their separate vehicles, rode on different ferries, but we both saw the dolphins in the water. We drove to Mustang Island State Park to spend a peaceful night listening to the Gulf of Mexico in the distance over the dunes behind us.  During that afternoon we did drive to Padre Island National Seashore to get our National Parks Book stamped.

     The next day, we continued north to Galveston, Texas and Galveston Island State Park. Galveston, the state park, and pretty much all of this barrier island suffered horribly during Hurricane Ike, in September, 2008. The courageous, hard-working folks here have brought the island back from disaster to a thriving, exciting tourist spot. One local told us it’s more beautiful than it was before the storm.

     The area was so pleasant, and had so much to offer, that we extended our stay to five days.  We took the Galveston Sightseeing Train, a guided tour of all parts of the city, two hours long. It was fascinating to see and hear about the mansions, businesses and people of the city from 19th century until today. Until recently, the big stories had been about the Big Storm of 1900, but now the hurricane of 2008 figures in the history, as well. We saw the Flight Museum. Alas, no ride for Ed in an old plane on this trip. The Strand is the historic shopping area just a couple of blocks from the harbor with many shops and coffee spots. The oldest drug store in Texas is Star Drug where we had a nice lunch one day. La King’s Confectionary offered ice cream, coffee and chocolate candy of every kind in another old-fashioned drug store setting.

     We ate one lunch at Gaido’s which is located on Seawall Avenue along the gulf beach. It seems to be a favorite of many, but, maybe we just don’t understand Texas seafood. we probably won’t go back. Actually, the McDonald’s turned out to be a favorite spot because it was big and clean and had free WiFi for checking email each day.   A couple of times Ed sat on a rock jetty and painted the beach scenes as admirers stopped to watch.

     Back at the state park, we watched seagulls from our lawn chairs, took long walks on the trails, lounged on the beach, fished, and just plain relaxed.  When it was time to move on we packed up, hooked up, and pulled out on a gray, drizzly day for the short 100 mile trip to Livingston.

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Cotten's

Star Drug

Pretty...Dangerous

Padre Island Nat'l Seashore

Mustang Island State Park

Mustang Island

Lovely Galveston

Look! A Twin!

Just another evening at the beach

Galveston Island State Park

Flight Museum

Don't Tell Jenny Craig

Skyline Drive

April 7, 2010 ’til April 14, 2010

     Since we won’t be traveling to the east coast with our fifth-wheel this summer, we chose to fly to Maryland for a visit. Our American Airlines flights went smoothly, but Carol continues to wonder WHY does TSA ALWAYS open HER bags for inspection and NEVER opens HIS?!

     We got to spend time with Brian and Debbi, Bruce and Stephanie, Chris and Sara, Allye, and Robbie. Going to a soccer game to watch Robbie play, under Bruce’s coaching, is always fun. We met Stephanie at the Life Fitness Gym to observe, and participate in her workouts.  One day, we drove to Virginia, picked up Lois and Bernie and took a day trip to Shenandoah National Park. It was the loveliest of spring days, with redbud trees blooming everywhere. Another day, Ed and Carol took the Metro to Washington, D.C. and roamed the National Gallery of Art. Our nation’s capital has to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, especially in the spring. One secret treasure is the garden behind the Smithsonian “Castle”. It is always full of the best flowers and plants of the season.

     All too soon, the week was over and we flew back to our Texas home to prepare for takeoff. Just about everyone we know has left the RV Park for their winter  homes. We’ll all gather together again in November.

Bernie, Carol, Lois watch a video at SNP

Ed in Washington, D.C.

Chris, Carol, Allye

ROAMING AND EXPLORING, 2010

TO TRAVEL PURPOSEFULLY UNHINDERED THROUGH A WIDE AREA…FOR ADVENTURE OR DISCOVERY

            We have had a wonderful winter, once again, in Alamo, Texas. As workampers on the Courtesy  team at Alamo Palms RV Resort we’ve helped out around the Park and in our off days we have had opportunities for dining out, taking day trips to Mexico, longer trips to San Antonio and South Padre Island, visiting state parks to find the birds and butterflies, and enjoying daily “tea time” with our Alamo Palms friends. Ed joined two watercolor groups and loves to paint the scenes around us. Both of us joined Jenny Craig to lose weight and improve our health, adding lots of exercise to our daily routines. Ed went fishing a few times, and Carol went out with the Red Hat ladies. South Texas has become so comfortable that we plan to be Winter Texans for the foreseeable future.

            Since we are not ready to endure the South Texas summers, and since we do treasure our traveling times, we want to spend this summer Roaming and Exploring National Parks. We will begin our travels by flying to Laurel, Maryland for a week of fun with our family and friends. Then, we’ll come back to pick up the fifth-wheel and go to Livingston, Texas to volunteer at the Escapees CARE center (more about that later).

            There is a grand plan, with a tentative itinerary, but we learned last year that our plans can come to an abrupt halt, so this will be an outline. Come back to wheel-around.com to keep up with the travels.

April 7- 14, 2010    Laurel, Maryland

April 17- 24              Corpus Christi and Galveston Island, Texas

April 24- May 30    Livingston, Texas (Rainbow’s End Escapees Park)

June 1- 15                Carlsbad, New Mexico

June 15- 30              Arizona

July 1- 12                  Utah

July 13- 24               Salt Lake City, Utah (Church of the Latter Day Saints Library)

July 24- 28               Las Vegas, Nevada (niece Deesha’s and Colin’s Wedding!)

July 28- Aug 13       Nevada, Idaho, Montana

Aug 14- 28               Glacier National Park (Montana and Alberta, Canada)

Aug 28- Sept 8        Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa

Sept 8-10                  Union, Illinois (visiting sister Pat, Robert, and their kids)

Sept 12- 17              Goshen, Indiana (Escapees Escapade Rally)

Sept 17- Oct 15      Missouri, Kansas

Oct 15- Oct 30        Texas

      This was the last day for this trip, and the longest drive at 355 miles. The closer we got to Alamo, the more familiar the territory so it did not seem so far.       By 4:00 p.m. we were backing in to our very own spot #499 at Alamo Palms RV Resort. We are among the first of the workamping crowd (The “Tea Time” group that meets at 4:00 every day during the winter.) to arrive but the others will be here this week. Carol’s birthday dinner was at Las Margaritas which is our favorite little restaurant just down the street.

     This trip south took forty-four days, and we put 6,597 miles on the vehicles. We completed our goal of spending the night, in the fifth-wheel, in all of the lower 48 states. We drove in mountains, plains, forests and deserts; saw big cities, small towns and villages; spent time with friends and family, and met new folks. We had no flat tires, did not run out of gas, and had no disastrous incidents. We both remain healthy. As always, God was with us for every turn of our wheels, directing our paths to keep us from harm. And we feel privileged and blessed that He created such beauty for us to enjoy.

     Now, we are looking forward to a warm winter, among Winter Texan friends. We’ll try to update the Blog again in a few months. Hasta la vista!

Alamo Palms

     This was probably the least challenging of our driving days. 300 miles of straight highway through desolate west Texas. We stopped a few times at roadside rest areas, more like wide pull-offs. When we reached Del Rio, we went to the Visitor Center at the Amisted National Recreation Area. It turns out that Amisted Reservoir is huge and there are several camping areas. We were directed to the San Pedro camping area, to choose for ourselves a pull-through site with a water view, and a picnic table under a shelter. No hook-ups, price two dollars. Ed did a little fishing, not necessarily catching, while we watched another lovely sunset.

Amisted Reservoir

     Back at Big Bend we drove up to the Chisos Lodge once more, and saw a black bear off in the distance. We ate dinner at the Lodge, watched the sunset through the “Window”, and attended a Ranger talk about the flora and fauna. It was very dark on the drive back so we took a side drive to Dugout Wells where we listened to the silence, looked at the stars hoping to see falling meteors, and appreciated our last evening at this fabulous place.

Chihuahuan Desert

Coyote

Rio Grande River

 

Window View

 

 

 

 

     Later, we drove west across the park to Terlingua and Lajitas. At the entrance to Big Bend Ranch State Park is a marvelous visitor center with excellent displays about the natural history of this area. Well worth the drive.

     Most days we’ve been arriving back at the Hitchhiker about 5:00 p.m. sitting out back under the shade of a big mesquite tree, reading, and discussing our adventures. Then, Ed fixes dinner, we eat, Carol does the dishes, and we read some more until an early bedtime. Very pleasant.

Birding by the Rio

Wow!